The BEST of ILIGAN! (Part 1 of 2)

Iligan City is known as the "City of Waterfalls". The most famous among them is the majestic Maria Cristina Falls, which is one of the main sources of hydroelectric power for the Mindanao region.

The once-popular city during the industrial age (thanks to its heavy industries like steel) is now bouncing back by showcasing its natural wonders, awesome fiesta and unique food that can rival the best in Manila.

I was invited by the Iligan Chamber of Commerce to provide an Internet Marketing 101 training (on blogging, social media, Twitter, Facebook and local search) to local businesses. That gave me the chance to explore the best of what Iligan has to offer.

Here are my Top 10 Best Experiences in Iligan...

1. Kasadya Festival: Iligan Fiesta and The Feast of St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel is a Christian and Islamic Archangel. In Christianity, he is God's standard bearer, and in Islam, he is the champion who fights the battles of the faith.

Iligan is one of the cities where Christians and Muslims live in harmony. St. Michael the Archangel is probably the secret behind this respectful bond between the two religions.

Photo by Anton Sheker, an Iliganon who is the best Fiesta Travel Photographer in the country. :)

The feast of St. Michael the Archangel is celebrated every 29th of September.

The entire city celebrates the feast with street dancing, food festival events, and various forms of entertainment. It culminates with the religious procession of Saint Michael the Archangel at 7am where the devotees dance to the beat of drums while chanting, "Viva Senor San Miguel, Viva!"

This is definitely the best time to be in Iligan.

Devotees line up to pray and venerate the image of Saint Michael the Archangel.

September 20 marks the beginning of the 9-day novena.

During this time, at exactly 8am, the Pagpakanaug (The Descent) is performed. It is the ritual tradition of transferring the image of Saint Michael from its niche to a pedestal located on the side altar. It is then followed by the Holy Mass in the Saint Michael Cathedral.

Saint Michael the Archangel is our guardian and protector in times of trouble and temptation.

In the past, I was a "checklist" traveler -- meaning I methodically went through a must-see checklist. These days, I prefer taking my time and immersing myself in the culture of the different places I visit.

In Iligan, Iliganon is one of the cafe institutions where you can spend time, hang out with the locals and meet the friendly and business-minded people of the city.

It is considered a pioneer in the late-night entertainment area called The Strip.

Iliganon is best known for its fresh Durian Shake (P90). It is very creamy and has no added sugar. I must say it is better than the ones found in Davao.

At night, hear DJ Mara spin music in the bar of Iliganon. She is one of the best female DJs in town and actually also runs the cafe.

Hi Anton, did you get to try Kristine's bakeshops loaf bread? It's SUPER soft - it's more like a crustless loaf! Salivating just thinking about it! If you get a chance to go back to Iligan, check it out! =)